400 guests including Hollywood moguls and pillars of the Indian business community attended the lavish banquet Photo: EPA
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh arrive for the start of joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 24, 2009At a lavish banquet to mark the first state visit of the Obama presidency, 400 guests including Hollywood moguls and pillars of the Indian business community feasted on a menu prepared by Marcus Samuelsson, a Swedish chef from New York chosen by Michelle Obama.
The five-course menu served in a tent on the the South Lawn of the White House was flavoured by herbs from the White House garden planted by the first lady. There were also Indian inflections, including a main course of green curry prawns, believed to be the first tiem curry has been served at a state dinner, with coconut-aged basmati rice, accompanied by collard greens, a favourite in the American south.
At a preview of the event for Washington children, Mrs Obama said: "The president and I are going to host this really neat dinner in the tent outside."
Fittingly for a meeting of nations with the two most robust entertainment industries in the world, music was provided by two Oscar winners, the American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson and A.R. Rahman, the composer of the music in Slumdog Millionaire.
Recipients of the hottest tickets in Washington included the film director and producer Steven Spielberg, the music mogul David Geffen and film director M Night Shyamalan.
With Mr Obama and India's Manmohan Singh touting advances in co-operation on trade, investment and technology reached during meetings earlier in the day, the Indian businessman Ratan Tata of Tata Motors led numerous captains on Indian industry at the event.... Full Article
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6646990/President-Barack-Obama-entertains-Indias-PM-Manmohan-Singh.html
The five-course menu served in a tent on the the South Lawn of the White House was flavoured by herbs from the White House garden planted by the first lady. There were also Indian inflections, including a main course of green curry prawns, believed to be the first tiem curry has been served at a state dinner, with coconut-aged basmati rice, accompanied by collard greens, a favourite in the American south.
At a preview of the event for Washington children, Mrs Obama said: "The president and I are going to host this really neat dinner in the tent outside."
Fittingly for a meeting of nations with the two most robust entertainment industries in the world, music was provided by two Oscar winners, the American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson and A.R. Rahman, the composer of the music in Slumdog Millionaire.
Recipients of the hottest tickets in Washington included the film director and producer Steven Spielberg, the music mogul David Geffen and film director M Night Shyamalan.
With Mr Obama and India's Manmohan Singh touting advances in co-operation on trade, investment and technology reached during meetings earlier in the day, the Indian businessman Ratan Tata of Tata Motors led numerous captains on Indian industry at the event.... Full Article
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6646990/President-Barack-Obama-entertains-Indias-PM-Manmohan-Singh.html
